Paper folding machine



Jan. 1, 1935.. CARRUTHERS ET A 1,985,975

PAPER FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1933 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g g 155E975 ism-whom ff ;george"eamt11ers combine-Edgar" maaeu:

7 Toronto, Ontario, Canada; assignors' it'o'i Inter-'- la lake Tissue MilIS:C0.-Limited, Toronto, Ontario,

Patented Jan. 1, 1935 Q Canada Appl cation une 1933; set;

( wiacl ims. (orato -61) fl'heprinc-ipal objects of this inventionare, to; m i a: mashi r in e s 2911 39???" and particularly; sheets of tissue paper which T mayhavebeeacut or perforated andarethere- 3 fore. diffiicult to handle without beingidamaged A furthenobject isto provide a machineof-a simple and;.durabl e constructionwhich willac-' complish the folding of extremely fragile sheets in arapidend eiiectiyemanner.

.The-;princip al features of the invention, consist A in the novel construction and arrangement of mechanism whereby the paper sheets; are separated from a stack ,one at; a time "by a. vacuum 7 device and are rolledinto-ltubulargform and then flattened and folded transversely, c

Ina-the accompanying z drawings,*Figure 1 is a plan view of c the machine showingthe rolling folding mechanism inlits position of commence; mentready to pick a sheet of paper from astack 1i g-Figuregi-2iis a side elevational view ,of'the 'ma chine ras shown in Figure 1. y e A g c v Figure 3 is a,front-;elevational View Figure; 4 isiyan enlarged elevational detail of theltransversefi folding apparatus;

detail of. the )means for feeding the paper sheet holderrupwardly tomaintain it in engagement with themeansforpicking' offrthe sheets.-

zgvFigure 6 1349.11; enlarged longitudinal sectional view"of:one:of. the rolling sheet pick upzmembers;

' Figure 7 i is a. much; enlarged cross sectional detail of the roller sheet pick up tube.

Iv lilliumachinegis herein: shown built, up: in .th for'mwofl a: rectangular. frame having the front and rear uprights 1 and 2; respectively.

=Bracket.members;3 are secured to the tonxharsn .4 at each side of the frame; and'the'y fiIfejpIO-j vided lwith cylindrical Ibearing portions 5:.;extendin'gwpalrallel withzthezsides of the framein which :1 are slidably :mounted vthe bars; 6; 'v y i The forward ends of the bars Glar eiiQrmedj with heads: 7 which are rigidlyzsecured to across bar. 8. fit f.

A pair of brackets 9 are mounted'on the cross ban 8; one" outside of each of the bars 6. These line-of the' machine. 1 v

vThewtubularcmembers 10, shown particularly in' detail in Figure 6,. are provided with bevelled blocks-1:1 at the innerendsand have a row yof 1 perforations, 12' which are; arrangedv slightlyto 1 *Figure ,5 is anenlargedsectional elevationalhe -vth pe end il -ii t1 i i th axes of -the rolle henthey are at; their rearmost positionh 4 Eracket; bearing 13 re-mounted on the cross bars supporting he outer ends-of the roller embe -u; 4 J

Between the brackets 9 and 13 the roller mem 1 bersgghave mounted: thereon a d; I r.ed thereto the;,-long;;pinion;sleeves- 14, which mesh r ithQthei I toothed; racks 15;;which are supportedpn bracke, 10.;- ets 16 extending fromthe frame structure; 1 J 1 1A :paim m 5L ares-r i m u t d 1 1 1 upper ends; of e ical sha s ch 8 .mpun in; bearing "brackets e r dztq the ear up i h s 2 ofrthetframeyp, f

i U =Eaclr1jofi ,:=these arms is 1pivotally connected by a member 19? to ;;the slidable member carryingiw the-brackets 9iand 13, the arms 17 being 'slidab le; inzthe pivotal. connection.

Arms 20 are rigidly securedItothe owergends gm of a the vertical; ishafts: I81; and extend. inwardly toward each sother jhaying the inte rmeshing toothed: endsiz lgwhich will cause them -to operate; in unison; L-J I- A rodw22aprovided with an adiustable turn'. 25cbu'ckle23 is' pivotally-connected to: one of,the arms 20; 'and ;its: other) :end is connectedto r the upper ndoffasbar24 whichis pivotally mounted ,f on.afbracket'25zonzthe-baseicf theirametg I camiwheelzfi mounted on ca' 'shaft i2flt'ext'endc ing transversely of the frame isprotidedwith a camisurface to engage a roller5r28 mounted ion the upright barr24$i 'Ihe operatignlofthe cam swi'ngsyrthe? bar 24'; on itszwpivoty-and,it in turn":

' through-the rod 22-swings the arms20 in unisoni 5 v through their intermeshed; [toothed ends land the shafts, 18' swing the arms 1'7 outwardly tofi ,moyethe"tubiilanmembersglo in an outward or 29 of ;tl:re="'fra'rne which project :forwardly and 1- arei connectedf across .the'frontxby the bar 30.;-

An arm 31 is pivotally mounted. at the .base. or: the machineiintlie bracket'25tand this is opere ated" by 'acam -=32 (mounted on! the cam shaft 2'Iad'jac'ent to"tlie"cam:26;;? ml 5- p 1 I Arcd 33 pivotallyiconnected to't eaupper end of the arm 31 and adjustable bytmeanaofia turn buckle34=is-connectedtoitliecrossbar-8. '50 the arm v31iisaswungforwardlylon itspivOt on the operation" of the cam 32the cr'0ss'bar'8 is moved forwardlyxinvj' a 1 horizontal directioni. v beingrsupportedabysthe'barsg6; 1 The racks 15 which zarein constant engage: -35.

inflow of air through the row of perforations 12 in said tubes and this has the effect of picking up the top sheet of paper from a stack 38 supported on a platform 39 arranged above the bracket extension 29. 'I'his'is particularly shown in Figure '1.

When the cam 32 pushes the'arm 31 forwardly the cross bar8 moves horizontally forward and the pinions 14 in contact with the racks 15 are rotated, thus rolling up the paper onthe pair of tubular mandrels 10.

Concurrentwith the forward movement of the bar 8 the arms 17 are moved outwardly and such movement draws the tubular mandrels 10 endwise apart so that when the carriage formed by the crossbar "8 reaches the outermost p.osi-' tion the mandrels are withdrawn to a point close totheend;

A plate'40 rests up'on the outer edge portion of the-top of the' stack of paper sheets and the rotating 'man'drels 10 roll over this plate on to a transverse table 41;

The table 41 is providediwith a centre slot 42 and arranged below the table and either side of the'vertical centreline in the width of the table are two pairs of endless belts 43 and 44. These belts travel vertically with the inner'surfaces of onepair running' in contact with the inner sur-.

faces of the other pair; thus forming a travelling carrier extending vertically downward from the slot in-the'table.

A bar 45 'vertically slidable in the supplementary frame structure supporting the endless belts 43' and 44 has vertically slidable in'its upper end a rod 46 on the lower end of which is secured a folding knife 47.- This knifeiwhen depressed engages thepaper roll carried on tothe table 41' by the mandrels lO and bends it inwardly pulling theends' clear or the mandrel's. and then forcing the rolled Y paper down into the slot '42,

.thus flattening the cylindrical paper formation into a flat fold.

The paper when thus forced down through the slot is "gripped between theendlesszbelts 43 and=44 and carriedondownwardly, beingdisecharged from the outwardend' into a rackv 48 on the outer end 'of theframe" which is carried bracket. a

The reciprocating motion of "folding 47 is effected by an arm 49.mounted atthe for-;

ward endon' a shaft 50 extending longitudinally of the frame-and saidshaft 'hasmounted onits rear end an arm 51 which extends downwardly and engages a'camwheel 52-'mounted:on-.the

shaft 2'7; g 1 e I The cam 52 operates periodicallythrowing the arm 5'7 outwardlyand the arm 49 downwardly,

thus pulling down on the vertical bar 453cc bring the folding: knife: into engagement with the rolled paper on the mandrels. r

A bell crank arm 53'is pivotally'mounted on the shaft of the lower rollers of'the pair of endless belts 43 and thehoriz'ontal end. thereof is connected to the arm 49 by a link 54; This link connection operates'fthe vertical arm of'the bell crank 53 to-swing laterally. i 1 V An arm 55 similar to the downwardly extending portion of the bell crank arm 53 is pivotally mounted on the shaft of the rollers of the other pair of endless belts 44. The lower ends of these two arms are connected by a bar 56 which holds them inparallel relation.

Attached to the bar 56 are vertical bars 5'! arranged abovethe guide rack 48 which receives the folded papers.

Each time the folding knife operates, the bell crank arm 53 is swung on its pivot and the vertical bars57 push the folded papers which have been previously deposited in the rack clear of the -bottomor discharge end of the belts 43 and 4'4.:.The bars 5'7 are returned prior to the discharging of the paper folded by the down- .ward movement of the knife 4'7.

For the purpose of packaging the folded papers it is desirable that some intimation be made of regular numbers or groups as they are placed in' the rack. A simple form of device for this purpose is shown consisting of a ratchet wheel 58 mounted on a'spindle supported on the guide and operated by a ratchet arm 59 connected with the swinging bar 56. Each time the folder operates and the bar 56'swings, the rod 60 swings the ratchet arm' and moves the ratchet wheel one notch. I Y

Mounted on the ratchet wheel spindle is a sprocket carrying a looped chain 61 which has a dog block 62 thereon.

An arm 63 pivotally mounted intermediate of its length has an upwardly curved portion which is engaged'by'the dog block each time it comes around and when thedog block engages the curved end of the arm the other end which rests onthe bottom of the paper guide kicks upwardly and lifts the last deposited folded sheet a short distance upwardly.' These sheets, say .every ten or twelve as may be desired in the pack, enable the ready separation of the folded group of papers into packsof uniform number.

The pairs of folding belts 43 and44 are constantly operated through a pair of bevelled periodically as the sheets are removed therefrom.

The platform 39 uponwhich the paper sheets are piled operates vertically'between guides 68, it being supported from the bottom by a bar 69 sliding in the bracket 70 secured in the forward portion of the frame.

The bar 69 is provided with rack teeth 71 andv meshes with the pinion 72 mounted on a horizontal shaft and a ratchet wheel '73 is secured to said shaft.

A holding dog '74 constantly engagesthe teeth of'the ratchet wheel in spring held mesh therewith.

Secured to the shaft of the pinion 72 is a bell crank arm 75, the horizontal section of which carries a pivotal dog'76 weighted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

"An arm 77pivotally suspended is adapted to swing into the path of the dog '76 to hold it out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. This arm is connected with a rod 78 pivotally secured to the bottom end of an arm 79 whichrigidly secured to the spindle pivot 80 of the plate 40 which is engaged by the paper stack, the action wheelto lift the stack of paper sheets" mums a 3 I '7 being that' wlientne-paper stdcierises iinue plate lq itswings the arin 79 and the -8 to move .ztiie "arm 77; to enga e the dog- '16 tam; porari-ly prevent the further operation olfthe e5 ratchet wheel. i

bell crank arm- 1s=operated flby a -rod 81" connected to its upper-' end;--= said: rod beingicon nected to a crank a l-111582 mounted 0n' the'shaft fio 'so that when thetside cam operates' the mm 1-0? knife it concurrently :operates theiratchet slight distance upward. l l'his upward' feed' ot-the paper sheets wilt ofco'urse at times='overtake the rolling- M d-'when-'they:press upwardlyagainst the p1ate=40 the"arm moves in to"arrestthe? further o rationt n The device is 'extrmely' eflecti-ve in operation: An operating motor, fn ot shown; is connected to the-pu11ey 83 of the shaft 83' and this 0bemtes my the pinion and I gear on the shaft 27 operating i iThe small :motorl mounted on the frame operthe: suction pum'p create a: continuouso subti'ori m :the tubular niain'drels lwand in the" foriward 'movement of the mandrelsthey' fl'rst pick up the ed'ge 0 ithe paper as described and as illustrated m Figure and' -theh roll -it "'up and i bythe operation of the cam the 1-7' 'are- -swung: outwardly withdrawing the tubu 30:1 lar inan'drels fromethe rolled tube 0! papera i- In: the return movement the mandrels: r011 backward -over the paper- -surface coincidentiy moving inward teward: each-tothen ut as the f outward aedge of I the; paper is" held by the:plitte" 4a,: no 5 liiting a'ctiont takes place; but immediately -the-rollers reach their innermostpos'itionx they. immediately pick up theafree ednwt the uppermost paper of i the stack and the'operation is l-peitixedl. 52-31 aria-i. w :1: 1;? :J 4e Each timerthewrollersreach theaouten-limit: of their' movement the :ioldin'g knifeli moves downward "dinti'ngia in' the paper tubeio and push; ing iUTdOWnWaTdlY between the :iendless pairs' of folder belts and' the'se belts pre'ss the':paper t0f-= gether folding it into a compact shape 'in which form itilis deliv'ered:into the receiving rack? 48 and-theiolded papersare progressivelysipush'edz along thetiackt and -every' tenth.=..papen-:;is lifted slightly above its adjacent papersntopei mit ofz 5 the easy 'counti'ng otathe'dolded pers when they are removed. s In the: event: of l the: 1 paper fouling" the ipapen mechanism the'i' foldingj kr1i'fe a'47=. Which mounted upon 'the'rod- .46 move'seupwardly: in;

55, itsisupporting bracket tandgscarries with it the: collaraM-uwhich: isilrigidly-r securedtheretom collan is pivotal1yi 1 connected; ito aixlink :85 1-2 on theeivertically' movable bar andrwhenflthw operated a rod Ma -carried OIi 'bhfli'iOLliI' end; of; a, the: vlink;r85 I engages a'zttiltingiar'mi aa which! isi connected r with an electric; switch; 89 rigidly; mountedaon' the fIame': operating: said switch to break "the circuitv to the motor: operatingv the. maichineiati l The folding knife normally; held; ownward; with" the collar 84 resting-z against; -'support-,--a ingememberw onwthe i'reciproc'ating; by; asmall weight 90 and when-theukniie'is in this; position the switchoperatingirod:does not engagethe switchim the. duwnwarditolding movement. A safety device is thus provided which obviates damage to the parts through the clogging of the folding mechanism.

With a machine such as described thin fragile papers, which may be slotted or otherwise cut,

ed- .on the such iorinstance as sanitai'y toiletiseatwoirersi are rolled up without danger of thecut portioas ofitheidetails' of constructiomofthisw'deh,

' mavement adven -said: stack; driveimeansfopen-k 1 5:

atively associated.rwitlrzsaddiiormingimeans'rand eflectingrisithei 1 positive rotationi-ithereoiflra reciprocation itirefiectthmpositi-Ve :awinding (of; the outermost paper tlierearound,

112:. In a papertfoldingmachine, means 1.012;. sum porting aastachvoij-papersto-be folded, archer; adwtede pick; um-thewedzeof-tthe-toimheet 01*; ,qpaper sandto; recipes; the stack; rolling,

said sheet the eon; m ans f o p vec vfi-ro t a 25::

said. in n ssaeeov rrthe e t s o er; bemoan-ally;:dn ecea e n t e ma ine means; disp a i -5. saidig ro ler 4: axia y 1 leeward w w hiitew: .thewc emfi mmith tro d f din -en flat en ee,

oldi fi knq from. .corner to I corner, means; for mc vingfs'aid whine-me e s n" fieisQni -blvn e d t n hee m e ili b he' p iivafi ies-Po e? v idttetu a me ber ecrp t ithew h t 551 et means fo d-ra ritteeisflfiuhr :m n r ei t wi h I 11 0i pa eram ns re mec ct etr ll f never 'm dw y p e t twe n this aiee erete tub a m mb tsm-n nten ifi s fleti ld net e reas bul r- 0e} 1:5- 4 a e fc n m in reem ,mea s me d on. t e am i su o inea=st ck a ers o e mold eeip t gzm m un s. me a ent dto a s. er id aper; ta p innit-r le s mounted zon'l d r c nro-r as eating me ns:e m e itwa dl w fr n each other, means for positivelygotating said;

rolleig s coincident with the reciprocation .oi the me c r xinesamet asu tio devic c n c e with each; of said rollers saidirollers havingholes; 70'; therein to admit air to the interior and to effect the lifting of the, edge of the upper paper sheet from the stack, means for moving said rollers each a uniform distance outwardly coincident with their rolling movement to separate their in- 75 ward; ends .and "means for folding'and flattening they-trolled sheet of paper. v.

'6liq'In a paper-folding machine; a frame, means mounted on the frame for supporting astack of papers tozbe folded, reciprocating means mountedonthe frame adapted to pass over. said paper, stack; :a ;pair of. rollers, mounted on -said reciproeating: means and moveable outwardlyl'away from each other, elongated. gear pinions secured to the ends of said rollers, gear racks meshing ,with said pinions and adapted to rotate thejrollers coincident with .the'c reciprocating movement; means for liftingtheiedgeofv the top sheet of paper-to effect the wrapping of same on the rollers, means for withdrawing. the rollers endwise from the roll-ofpapen'means for transversely creasing the rolled? paper; and means. for drawing} the paper r'o'll t'og'ether' ndm the creased fold andforming a fiatt'enedfoldedflsheet.

'7. In a paper foldingimachine, a frame, means mounted on the frame forsu'pporting a stack of papers to be' folded, reciprocating means mounted on=theframe adapted w pass over said" paper staclnapair of rollers mounted'on'said reciprocating means-and moveable outwardly away from each other; means for rotating said rollers coincident withthe reciprocation of the means" carrying same, a suction device connected with each of said rollers, said-rollers'- having holes therein't'o-admit'air to the interior and to effect the lifting of the edge of the upper paper sheet from 'thTestackQapair of arms pivota'lly'mounted on the *framef-to swing horizontally and "o'p eratively -bonnec'ted with theroll'er supporting means; means for swinging 'said'arms outwardlyduring the movement of *the'rec iprocating memberfin' 'the'f rolling of the paper 'sheet 'to"draw the roller members; outwardly'from the centre of the mu: means for "creasing the" 1011*- transversely" between the separated ends of the rollers, and means 'for'fdi awing the creased paper roll downwardly tofcr'ease it into flat 'folded form. 8;"'Afdevice-as claimed iri claim 'I characteriz'ed by having connected, to thehorizontally swin'g;

" able arms apairbf inwardly "extendingarms having interrneshing toothed ends "to cause-said arms to operate in unison, a cam operating'jirr the frameof said machine," a lever operated by said cam, .and a' rodconnecting said lever with 1 one;

offthe toothed arnis' to' swing s'faid' arms on their Q7 1..

3'9 A A frame", reciprocating member mounted on said frame, ar'ollr rr'iern be r-carriedbysaid recipro il eating member, a paper carrying platform' ar;

ranged below said roller niember having papers stacked thereom-"a paper folding; mechanism arranged beyond said paper holding platforrmf means for automatically raising "said paperhold ing platform; a displaceable membei' overlying the top edge portion of 'said -stack and adapted to bedisplaced by theupward pressure of-the stack thereagain's't as the platform-raising means urges the platform and stack upwardly, and

means controlled by the displacement of said displaceable member for'controlling-said automatic raising means p '-10."A-'-pa"perfolding machine, comprising a frame, a reciprocating member mounted onsaid frame,'a' paper rolling member carried by saidrollers carried by saidireciprocating means.

11. In a paper folding machine, aframe, a shaft, -journalled transversely :of said frame, "a cam-WheeL-mounted on said shaft, a reciprocate ing device mounted on said frame, an arm pivotally mounted ongthetframe, andengaging said cam wheel, means for operatively connecting said 7 arm. with said reciprocating device, means carried by the reciprocating device for rolling sheets of paper, said .means being slidably.

mounted; on either side of said reciprocating means to move outwardly and inwardly thereon, arms 'pivotally mounted onthe frame and operatively connected with said outwardly moveable, means on said reciprocatingmember, ,a cam wheel mounted on said shaft, an arm pivotally' mounted on: the'frame and operatively engaging said; cam: wheel, means connecting said latter arm with thevaforesaid pivotal arms to operate themimunison, a vertically reciprocating folding member,-; an: arm operatively connected with saidfolding. member, anarm pivotally mounted on.

the pivotal-support of I the latter arm, a cam memberzcarried. by said shaft adapted to engage the latter arm to raise and lower the folding member, Y means for holding a stack of paper sheets in ,positionto be picked: up one at a time by; the reciprocating memberand carried thereby to said folding member, and means for press-v ing thesheetsinto flat fold form from said folding member. V

-' 12-.j;In axpaper; folding machine, means for supportingca stack of paper sheets to befolded, means forpickingasaid sheets from said stack and' rolling: them into tubular form, a reciprocating folding ;member adapted to crease the rolled sheets of paper midway of their length, a

bb fip h mp z pair cofendless beltsarranged below said folding memberi= means for receiving the folded sheets deliveredfrom said belts, and means1car-,

ried by :said reciprocating folder for automati cally stopping: the operation of, the machine.

:';13.='A paper folding machine as claimed in claim :12 .inuwhich the -reciprocating folding member'comprises a "main operating member having'a relatively movable portion normally moving in'un'isontherewith to engage and fold the rolled paper sheetland adapted when meeting abnormal. resistance to permit a relative movement of said main operating member, and means controlled by the relative movement of said" main operating member and movable paper-engagingportion for controlling the operation of the machine.

" GEORGE CARRUTHERS.

'' CLARENCE EDGAR RUDDELL. 

